


Lately

by EAS1928



Category: Scandal (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-05
Updated: 2014-06-05
Packaged: 2018-02-03 11:12:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1742705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EAS1928/pseuds/EAS1928
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She's too happy too content and he's suspicious of the cause.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lately

**Author's Note:**

> Listening to some music got all in my feels and here we are. Inspired by Lately covered by Jodeci.

I watch her although she doesn’t seem to notice. I can’t put my finger on it but she’s different. She smiles more, smiles that reach her eyes. I sit and watch as she stares off into space and a ghost of a smiles graces her features as if she is remembering a pleasant event. She turns to me and notices that I am looking at her. The smile quickly drops from her face and she clears her throat before turning back to what she was reading. Something is amiss and although I don’t know what it is I know I don’t like it.   


_Lately I've had the strangest feeling_  
With no vivid reason here to find  
But yet the thought of losing you been hanging  
Around my mind

I’ve returned to our bedroom. I need to watch her. I have a sneaking suspicion that she’s been leaving the White House after she puts Teddy to bed. A number of times I’ve run into her in the hallway as I was heading to the Oval in the early morning hours. She ignores my questioning glances and just walks past me. I’ve decided to put an end to that, whatever that is.

I make sure to head to the Residence early tonight. When I walk into the bedroom I spy Mellie sitting at her dressing table combing her long chestnut hair. She spritzes her favorite fragrance behind her ear.

“Going somewhere?” I say sarcastically. I notice she rolls her eyes but does not answer me. She continues primping in the mirror. I notice she is in bed attire but I know all this is not for me. “You sure are primping for just going to bed.”

She whips around and pins me with an icy stare. “When have you become so concerned with what I do?” It takes all I have not to become hurt by her words no matter how true but I realize it’s a avoidance tactic. She walks past me her silk robe billowing behind her. The smell of orchids wafts past my nose and I know that she is wearing her favorite perfume, a perfume I picked up for her in Paris right before our third anniversary. A fragrance that she only wears on special occasions. My suspicions and worry are peaked.

“I asked you a question Mellie?” She stops mid stride and looks at me.

“And what was that Fitzgerald?” She says cocking her head to the side.

“Are you going somewhere?” I am serious but she laughs at me looking down at her attire.

“Does it look like I’m going somewhere Fitzgerald?” I cringe at the use of my full name and I feel like an ass considering she is in her night clothes.

“Sorry no I guess you aren’t.” She shakes her head and goes into the bathroom, closing the door, closing me out.

 

_Far more frequently your wearing perfume_  
With you say the special place to go  
But when I ask will you be coming back soon  
You don't know never know

I retire to bed before she comes out of the bathroom. I know she’s been hiding out in there waiting for me to go to bed. I turn off the lights and climb into our bed, sleep quickly starting to take over me. As I slip deeper into sleep I hear her come out of the bathroom and walk across the room. The smell of orchids lulling me deeper into sleep. I don’t ever feel her get into bed but I can’t be quiet sure as I am taken into dream land.

When I awake the next morning I roll over and my hand comes into contact with cold bedding. My eyes fly open and I immediately know that she didn’t sleep with me last night. I close my eyes trying to quail the panic rising inside of me. Could she be….. I refuse to even finish the thought. I decide to pretend that she just slept in another bedroom. It’s not like we are on good terms. She’s become increasingly upset and despondent about my relationship with Olivia.

I throw the covers off my body and head to the bathroom, but I stop before doing so and I grab the receiver of the bedside table.

“Is the First Lady in her office?” I ask Mellie’s secretary when she answers the phone. “How long has she been in there?” “No no please don’t not disturb her.”  I stand in front of the full length mirror and stare at myself. What I see staring back I can’t say that I like it. Could she be….again I can’t even finish the thought. The beginnings of the deep ache that threaten to swallow me at just the thought are too much for me to bare. I know it’s not rational what I feel but that doesn’t change that I feel it.

I dress and exit the Residence heading down to the Oval. Before I walk in I ask Lauren to have Tom come to my office. Tom arrives some 5 minutes later.

“You needed me sir?”

“I need you to find out if the First Lady left the White House last night?” I waste no time. I see a slight twitch in his face and I know he is surprised that I am making this inquiry, I am surprised I am making this inquiry.

“Of course sir I will find out and report back.”

“Thank you Tom, that will be all.” Tom turns and leaves.  

Tom reports back within the hour and confirms to me that she did in fact leave the White House and that she was out all night and did not return to the early morning hours. My heart sinks. He gives me a location, and I do not recognize it.

“I want surveillance. I want to know where she’s going and who she’s seeing.” He nods and leaves immediately.

I can no longer ignore what is right in front of me. She’s cheating on me. A strangled breath exits my body.  She was accused of cheating during the campaign, I didn’t take it serious because I always took for granted that she’d be by my side and no matter what would never stray but so much had changed. Our relationship had become toxic and where there was silence now there is arguing and contempt. Words laced with hateful intent ,declarations of war and threats of destroying the others reputation.  Still I just can’t accept that she has strayed and I try to find some other reason for the sneaking around.

_Lately I've been staring in the mirror_  
And it's very slowly picking me apart  
I've tried to tell myself I have no reason  
With your heart

Tom comes to me 3 days later.

“Sir I have that surveillance you asked for.” He lays the envelope on my desk and I just stare at it. Tom stands and waits for further instructions.

“You’re dismissed.”  I state never moving my eyes from the envelope, I don’t even notice Tom leave. In my mind I am willing the contents not to be what I think the contents are. I close my eyes and take a deep breath before opening the envelope. Laid out before me is my worst nightmare. Pictures of Mellie entering a building that I do not recognize, an apartment building apparently. The next set of pictures are of her in the apartment. Apparently Tom was able to get in and install cameras, she walks around the place comfortable, obviously having been there many times.  The more I shuffle through the pictures the more my heart beats.

I get to a picture that shows the figure of a man but does not quiet capture his face. Several pictures show them embracing, kissing, his hands all over my wife. My jaw clinches. In the next set of photos showing them parting my ire raises to dangerous levels when I look upon the face of my Vice President and supposed friend Andrew Nichols. My breath comes out in hot angry puffs as I realize that this man that sits and smiles in my face is fucking my wife. There are more pictures but I cannot look at them, if I see him having sex with my wife I do not think I will be able to stop myself from killing him.

I sit staring at the stack of pictures on my desk. My mind flashing back to the night I moved back into our bedroom. Mellie had been sleeping when I slipped in and apparently I had caught her in the middle of a dream. As I passed the bed to go into the bedroom I thought I heard her whisper a name but the moment was so fleeting that I put it in the back of my mind until the next morning. When I inquired about her vivid dream she denied knowing what I was talking about but I could tell from the brief sparkle in her eyes that was not the truth. Now recalling that moment I realize that she whispered Andrew’s name. My jaw clinches and my nostrils flare as I heatedly push myself away from my desk. I stalk towards her office ready to put this all out in the open.

_Now just the other night while you were sleeping_  
I vaguely heard you whisper someone's name  
But when I ask you of the thought's your keeping  
You just say nothing's changed

I breeze past her secretary who stands to try to get me to stop. I hear her say in the distance that Mellie is in a meeting but I don’t care. I burst into her office and find her in Andrew’s arms. They quickly pull apart and at least she has the good sense to appear embarrassed. I slam the door behind me and I stalk over to Andrew, before he can react I punch him and he stumbles back.

“Fitz!” Mellie screams as she kneels to help Andrew I pull her out of the way so that I can have another go at this traitor. Andrew stands up barrels into me knocking me over.

“Stop this right now!” Mellie is anxiously screaming. The commotion causes her Secret Service to burst into the room and immediately separate us.  She stands in the corner with her mouth covered, look of utter shock gracing her features. I stand up and dust my suit off. The Secret Service come to check me out but I waive them off. After making sure all is well they leave the room. Mellie continues to stand in the corner as I stare at her intently.

“Really? You’re fucking him?” I know I’m a hypocrite but I don’t care. I don’t want this man or any other man touching what’s mine.

“You have some nerve Fitz.” I ignore Andrew this is between me and my wife although I am not happy that he’d betray me this way. I’ll deal with him later. I make a move to step closer to Mellie and Andrew blocks my path. I stare him up and down.

“If you know what’s good for you you’ll move Andrew.” I state through clinched teeth, the rage within threatening to consume me.

“No I won’t let you hurt her anymore.” A sardonic laugh spills forth.

“I don’t know what sob story she’s been telling you, but she is no angel.”

“I know you haven’t been there for her. I’ve known that for a long time.” Mellie sensing a shift in the conversation comes forth.

“Andrew please.” She lays a hand on his shoulder and he stops talking, dropping his head. I don’t know what just transpired but it’s clear that Andrew knows something about my wife that I don’t and that makes me even angrier.

“What the fuck is going on here?” And I don’t mean just their affair and I can tell from their expressions that they understand that.

“Andrew let me talk to Fitz.” He looks at her stunned.

“No I’m not leaving you alone with him.” I laugh sarcastically.

“You’re not leaving me alone with my wife?” I make a point to stress the my pointing to my chest.

“Oh so she’s your wife now? You are nothing but a spoiled brat Fitz, always have been. You’ve messed this woman over for years, ignored her, treated her like trash and now you want to get upset because I have come along to appreciate what you couldn’t?” The words slam home but I am not willing to give in.

“My wife, yes Andrew and you need to leave as she asked you.” Mellie places a hand on his shoulder and I want to rip it away from him.

“Andrew please let me talk to Fitz.” He stares at her before relenting.

“Fine but I’m not going far.” He says giving me a pointed look. I guess I am supposed to be afraid, I am not, I’m too angry to be afraid of anything right now.  As soon as he leaves I whip around to her.

“How could you do this?” She seems taken aback by my statement.

“How could I do this? So you can cheat and I can’t?”

“You have turned me away ever since Jerry was born saying that you were dead inside, but that’s  not the case now is it Mellie?” She seems nervous with my line of questioning but in true Mellie fashion she tamps down those emotions and carries on.

“I think you’re being a little liberal with that statement. I have not completely turned you away since Jerry. Having a baby changed me and no I didn’t want it as often as I did before but I did not completely turn you away.”

“Maybe not physically but emotionally you left me. Which was the biggest transgression you could ever place against me.”

“I have never left your side Fitz. I have always fought for you and if you knew the pieces of myself I’ve given away for you.”

“Why don’t you tell me Mellie? You keep throwing that in my face about what you’ve done for me, tell me what Saint Mellie has done for me to justify this betrayal.”  She remains silent.

“Why don’t we just agree to stay out of each other’s way? I won’t say anything about you and Olivia, you don’t say anything about me and Andrew.” I can’t help but to burst out laughing.

“You really think I am going to stand idly by while another man fucks my wife? Answer this Mellie since you’ve had this sexual resurgence.” I say in air quotes. “Why didn’t you come to your husband that you claim to care so much for?” It’s her turn to laugh.

“The same husband that called me ornamental or the one that told me he was waging war on me or how about the one that threatened to falsely out me as a racist if I didn’t accept him leaving me for his mistress.” I have no come back.  She shakes her head. “That’s what I thought.”

“I won’t allow him to be VP and fuck my wife. If he wants you then he needs to step down as VP.”

“Why are you doing this Fitz? You don’t want me why can’t I be happy? Do you hate me that much?” It was quite the opposite but I was not going to let her know that.

“You are my wife. I will not sit idly by and watch another man be with you.” I say as I get in her face. I can see tears welling in her eyes and it takes everything in me not to try to soothe her.

“We are over Fitz. After your term we are going to be divorced you know and I know it. This is all a formality so why even go through all of this?” I step away from her.

“He can have you or he can be VP which could lead to him being president. What do you think he will choose?” I don’t allow her to answer. When I open the door Andrew stands from the sofa in the waiting area and pins me with a deadly look. I give him a tight smile as a stride past him, out of the corner of my eye I see him rush into her office. I know what he’ll choose men like us never choose love. I’ve bought myself some time and I know she won’t be saying good this time.

 

_Well I'm a man of many wishes_  
I hope my premonition misses but what I really feel  
My eyes won't let me hide 'cuz they always start to cry  
'Cuz this time could mean goodbye


End file.
